INTRODUCING THE MORGANS (XIV), XÈNIA MORGAN

Hi, I'm Xènia Morgan and I was born in Ιθάκη (Ithaki), Ιόνιο Πέλαγος (Ionian Sea). From a very young age I was fascinated by music and illustration. I am a tuner.

A few months ago, I discovered that the famous Welsh pirate Henry Morgan was an ancestor of mine and that I had brothers and sisters to meet. Thanks to The Grandma, an Andorran grandmother, who made every effort to locate us, today I know them all and to celebrate this meeting we decided to spend two months together travelling and reviewing our level of English because we have all decided to retire to Kingston, Jamaica, to enjoy the Morgan fortune, and English is its official language.

-What's your full name?

-My name is Eleni Papadopoulou.

-How do you spell your second surname?

-P-A-P-A-D-O-P-O-U-L-O-U

-Are you a student? What are you studying?

-No, I'm not a student. I completed my studies in music and acoustics several years ago.

-Are you working? What is your job?

-Yes, I am. I'm an instrument tuner. I tune pianos and other musical instruments to make sure they produce the correct sound and perform at their best.

-Do you like your job? Why?

-Yes, I do. I enjoy working with music and helping musicians achieve the best possible sound. Every instrument has its own character, which makes my work interesting.

-Where are you from?

-I'm from Ithaki, a small island in Greece.

-How long have you lived there?

-I lived there throughout my childhood and early adulthood. Although I travel for work, Ithaki will always be my home.

-Why are you studying English?

-I'm studying English because I often work with musicians from different countries. It also helps me read technical manuals and attend international workshops.

-How long have you been studying English?

-I've been studying English for about two months. I started learning with The Morgans and continue using it regularly in my profession.

-Tell me about your town.

-Ithaki is a beautiful Greek island with crystal-clear waters, green hills, and a rich history. It is traditionally associated with the legendary home of Odysseus.

-What music do you like?

-I enjoy classical music, jazz, and traditional Greek music. Listening to different styles of music helps me develop my ear for tuning instruments.

-Can you play any instrument?

-Yes, I can play the piano and the violin. Learning to play instruments has helped me understand how important accurate tuning is.

-Tell me about your favourite place.

-My favourite place is Vathy Harbour. I love sitting by the water, sketching the boats, and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

-What do you like doing in your free time?

-In my free time, I love illustration. I enjoy drawing landscapes, people, and scenes from everyday life. I also like reading, walking, and visiting art exhibitions.

-Do you practise any sport? Which?

-Yes, I do. I enjoy swimming and hiking. Living on an island gives me many opportunities to spend time outdoors.

-How did you become interested in tuning instruments?

-I became interested in it while studying music. I was fascinated by how small adjustments could completely change the quality of a sound.

-What is the most difficult part of your job?

-The most difficult part is working on very old instruments. They often require a lot of patience and careful attention.

-Why is tuning important?

-Tuning is important because even a talented musician cannot perform well if the instrument is out of tune. Good tuning improves the overall musical experience.

-How did you become interested in illustration?

-I've loved drawing since I was a child. It allows me to express my creativity and capture moments that inspire me.

-Do music and illustration influence each other in your life?

-Yes, they do. Music often inspires my drawings, and illustration helps me think creatively when solving problems in my work.

-Would you like to combine your two interests in the future?

-Yes, I would. I'd love to create illustrated books about musical instruments and the stories behind them.

-How is a normal day with The Morgans?

-We haven't got similar days. Every day is different and this is something very important because it offers to you the possibility of living fantastic experiences every day and you can enjoy them with all your heart because you know that next day you're going to put the score to zero and we're going to start again. It's a non-stopping life.

-Which is your best memory with The Morgans?

-It's difficult to choose only one. I remembered when we travelled to different places and I was drawing our adventures. I love drawing and being able to draw the family has been something very special for me.

-Which is your favourite song?

-I'm Ioanian. I love Mikis Theodorakis and Kharis Alexiu, but I will choose the poem that has made my island most famous, 'Ithaka' by Konstantinos Petru Kavafis, a poem that talks about life and death and which was recited in English by Sir Sean Connery with music composed by another legendary Greek, Evànguelos Odisseas Papathanassiu aka Vangelis.

Παντα στoν νoυ σoυ ναχεις την Ιθακη.
Τo φθασιμoν εκει ειν o πρooρισμoς σoυ.
Aλλα μη βιαζεις τo ταξειδι διoλoυ.
Καλλιτερα χρoνια πoλλα να διαρκεσει 
και γερoς πια ν'αραξεις στo νησι,
πλoυσιoς με oσα κερδισες στo δρoμo,
μη πρoσδoκωντας πλoυτη να σε δωσει η Ιθακη.
       
Η Ιθακη σ'εδωσε τ'ωραιo ταξειδι.
Χωρις αυτην δεν θα βγαινες στoν δρoμo.
Αλλα δεν εχει να σε δωσει πια.
       
Κι αν πτωχικη την βρεις, η Ιθακη δε σε γελασε.
Ετσι σoφoς πoυ εγινες, με τoση πειρα,
ηδη θα τo καταλαβες oι Ιθακες τι σημαινoυν.

 Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you’re destined for.
But don’t hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you’re old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you’ll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

Konstantinos Petru Kavafis

THE PARTHENON, HISTORY ON THE ATHENIAN ACROPOLIS

Today, The Grandma has continued her English classes with The Bishops in Castelldefels.

They have been practising some oral English and the have done some exercises to learn the articke 'The' in English.

More info: Definitive Article

Today, The Grandma has been reading about the Parthenon, the former temple on the Athenian Acropolis in Greece, dedicated to the goddess Athena.

The Parthenon, in Ancient Greek Παρθενών, is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, that was dedicated to the goddess Athena during the fifth century BC. 

Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points of Greek art, an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece, democracy and Western civilization.

The Parthenon was built in thanksgiving for the Hellenic victory over Persian invaders during the Greco-Persian Wars. 

Like most Greek temples, the Parthenon also served as the city treasury.

More information: History

Construction started in 447 BC when the Delian League was at the peak of its power. It was completed in 438; work on the decoration continued until 432. For a time, it served as the treasury of the Delian League, which later became the Athenian Empire. In the final decade of the 6th century AD, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

After the Ottoman conquest in the mid-fifteenth century, it became a mosque. In the Morean War, a Venetian bomb landed on the Parthenon, which the Ottomans had used as a munitions dump, during the 1687 siege of the Acropolis. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Parthenon. 

From 1800 to 1803, the 7th Earl of Elgin removed some of the surviving sculptures, now known as the Elgin Marbles, reportedly (but controversially) with the permission of the Ottoman Empire.

The Parthenon replaced an older temple of Athena, which historians call the Pre-Parthenon or Older Parthenon, that was demolished in the Persian invasion of 480 BC.

Since 1975, numerous large-scale restoration projects have been undertaken to preserve remaining artefacts and ensure its structural integrity.

More information: Smart History

The origin of the word Parthenon comes from the Greek word parthénos (παρθένος), meaning maiden, girl as well as virgin, unmarried woman. The Liddell-Scott-Jones Greek-English Lexicon states that it may have referred to the unmarried women's apartments in a house, but that in the Parthenon it seems to have been used for a particular room of the temple.

Although the Parthenon is architecturally a temple and is usually called so, some scholars have argued that it is not really a temple in the conventional sense of the word. A small shrine has been excavated within the building, on the site of an older sanctuary probably dedicated to Athena as a way to get closer to the goddess, but the Parthenon apparently never hosted the official cult of Athena Polias, patron of Athens. 

The cult image of Athena Polias, which was bathed in the sea and to which was presented the peplos, was an olive-wood xoanon, located in another temple on the northern side of the Acropolis, more closely associated with the Great Altar of Athena.

The colossal statue of Athena by Phidias was not specifically related to any cult attested by ancient authors and is not known to have inspired any religious fervour. Preserved ancient sources do not associate it with any priestess, altar or cult name.

More information: Smithsonian Magazine

Earth proudly wears the Parthenon
as the best gem upon her zone.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

ATHENS 1896, THE FIRST MODERN OLYMPIC GAMES

Today, The Grandma has been remembering her participation in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience, and she has great memories about it.

The Grandma has read about the first International Olympic Games held in modern history, celebrated in Athens that started on a day like today in 1896.

The 1896 Summer Olympics, in Greek Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 1896, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was the first international Olympic Games held in modern history.

Organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which had been created by French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin, it was held in Athens, Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896.

Fourteen nations (according to the IOC, though the number is subject to interpretation) and 241 athletes (all males; this number is also disputed) took part in the games. Participants were all European, or living in Europe, except the United States team. Over 65% of the competing athletes were Greek.

Winners were given a silver medal, while runners-up received a copper medal. Retroactively, the IOC has converted these to gold and silver, and awarded bronze medals to third placed athletes. Ten of the 14 participating nations earned medals.

The United States won the most gold medals, 11, while host nation Greece won the most medals overall, 46. The highlight for the Greeks was the marathon victory by their compatriot Spyridon Louis. The most successful competitor was German wrestler and gymnast Carl Schuhmann, who won four events.

More information: IOC

Athens had been unanimously chosen to stage the inaugural modern Games during a congress organized by Coubertin in Paris on 23 June 1894, during which the IOC was also created, because Greece was the birthplace of the Ancient Olympic Games.

The main venue was the Panathenaic Stadium, where athletics and wrestling took place; other venues included the Neo Phaliron Velodrome for cycling, and the Zappeion for fencing.

The opening ceremony was held in the Panathenaic Stadium on 6 April, during which most of the competing athletes were aligned on the infield, grouped by nation. After a speech by the president of the organizing committee, Crown Prince Constantine, his father officially opened the Games. Afterwards, nine bands and 150 choir singers performed an Olympic Hymn, composed by Spyridon Samaras, with words by poet Kostis Palamas.

The 1896 Olympics were regarded as a great success.

 

The Games had the largest international participation of any sporting event to that date. The Panathenaic Stadium overflowed with the largest crowd ever to watch a sporting event.

After the Games, Coubertin and the IOC were petitioned by several prominent figures, including Greece's King George and some American competitors in Athens, to hold all the following Games in Athens.

However, the 1900 Summer Olympics were already planned for Paris and, except for the Intercalated Games of 1906, the Olympics did not return to Greece until the 2004 Summer Olympics, 108 years later.

During the 19th century, several small-scale sports festivals across Europe were named after the Ancient Olympic Games. The 1870 Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium, which had been refurbished for the occasion, had an audience of 30,000 people.

Pierre de Coubertin, a French pedagogue and historian, adopted Dr William Penny Brookes' idea to establish a multi-national and multi-sport event -the ancient games only allowed male athletes of Greek origin to participate.

In 1890, Coubertin wrote an article in La Revue Athletique, which espoused the importance of Much Wenlock a rural market town in the English county of Shropshire. It was here that, in October 1850, the local physician William Penny Brookes had founded the Wenlock Olympian Games, a festival of sports and recreations that included athletics and team sports, such as cricket, football and quoits.

Coubertin also took inspiration from the earlier Greek games organized under the name of Olympics by businessman and philanthropist Evangelis Zappas in 1859, 1870 and 1875.

The 1896 Athens Games were funded by the legacies of Evangelis Zappas and his cousin Konstantinos Zappas and by George Averoff who had been specifically requested by the Greek government, through crown prince Constantine, to sponsor the second refurbishment of the Panathenaic Stadium.

More information: Pierre de Coubertine, The Modern Olympic Games

On 6 April, 25 March according to the Julian calendar then in use in Greece, the games of the First Olympiad were officially opened; it was Easter Monday for both the Western and Eastern Christian Churches and the anniversary of Greece's independence.

The Panathenaic Stadium was filled with an estimated 80,000 spectators, including King George I of Greece, his wife Olga, and their sons. Most of the competing athletes were aligned on the infield, grouped by nation.

On the morning of Sunday 12 April or 3 April, according to the Julian calendar then used in Greece, King George organized a banquet for officials and athletes even though some competitions had not yet been held.

During his speech, he made clear that, as far as he was concerned, the Olympics should be held in Athens permanently. The official closing ceremony was held the following Wednesday, after being postponed from Tuesday due to rain. Again the royal family attended the ceremony, which was opened by the national anthem of Greece and an ode composed in ancient Greek by George S. Robertson, a British athlete and scholar.

More information: Independent

 The most important thing in the Olympic Games
is not winning but taking part;
the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.

Pierre de Coubertin

HELENA PAPARIZOU & 'MY NUMBER ONE', GREECE WINS

Elena Paparizouwon Eurovision in 2005

Today, The Grandma has been talking with The Watsons about Elena Paparizou, the Greek-Swedish  singer who won the Eurovision Song Contest singing My Number One representing Greece in 2005. It was the first time that Greece won the Contest and thanks to this Elena Paparizou became a popular singer in Europe, especially in Greece and Cyprus.

Elena Paparizou, in Greek Έλενα Παπαρίζου (born 31 January 1982), sometimes spelt Helena Paparizou, is a Greek-Swedish singer, songwriter and television personality.

Born and raised in Sweden to Greek parents, she enrolled in various arts schools before launching a career in Sweden in 1999 as a member of the laïko, a Greek folk music, and Eurodance duo Antique, who participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 and afterwards became popular.

Antique disbanded in 2003, and Paparizou signed a solo recording contract with Sony Music, releasing the chart-topping debut single Anapandites Kliseis and album Protereotita (2004), with emphasis on laïko, pop, and dance sounds, but at first had modest sales.

In 2005, she represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song My Number One, which she won.

It was the first Greek win in the contest's history and transformed her career. Her album was subsequently certified double platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry of Greece.

More information: Eurovision World

Paparizou attempted a career beyond Greece with English-language material, charting in a few countries abroad.

Her three subsequent albums Iparhi Logos (2006), The Game of Love (2006) and Vrisko To Logo Na Zo (2008) all peaked at number one in Greece and reached platinum sales.

Her fifth studio album Giro Apo T' Oneiro (2010) was also certified platinum. Paparizou's final release before she left Sony Music, Greatest Hits & More, was released in 2011 and included Baby It's Over, her biggest hit until 2016. Paparizou's biggest hit to date is An Me Dis Na Kleo feat Anastasios Rammos.

Elena Paparizou won Eurovision in 2005

Paparizou established herself as a teen idol, particularly among young girls. She has endorsed the brands Nokia and Ivi. For the period 2013-2015, she advertised hair colour products for Koleston company in Greece.

In the 2010s she tried to move into television as a judge on Dancing on Ice (2011) and as a contestant on Let's Dance (2012).

Since 2016, Paparizou has been a judge at The Voice of Greece.

Paparizou has been awarded three Arion Music Awards, a European Border Breakers Award, 28 MAD Video Music Awards -more than any other artist- and an MTV Europe Music Award.

On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked her as the 14th top-certified domestic female artist since 1960, having won seven platinum and four gold records.

Paparizou was the most successful debuting female artist of the 2000s and established herself as one of the top acts of the latter half of the decade.

As of 2010, she has been certified for the sales of 300,000 albums, 47,500 singles, and 30,000 digital downloads by IFPI Greece, in addition to 100,000 total record sales in Greece as part of Antique, 24,000 certified albums in Cyprus, and 80,000 singles in Sweden during her solo career.

In 2010, Forbes listed Paparizou as the 21st most powerful and influential celebrity in Greece. She has more than 150 million views on YouTube -more than any other artist in the Greek music industry. She is the first female artist to reach 600,000 likes on Facebook in Greece.

More information: Wiwi Bloggs

Paparizou was born on 31 January 1982 in Borås, Västergötland, Sweden; she was the youngest child of Greek parents Georgios Paparizos (1948-2008) and Efrosynë Froso Paparizou. Paparizou's parents were from the Karditsa region in western Thessaly ; she has a sister Aretë, known as Rita, and a brother Konstantinos, known as Dinos. Paparizou's parents met and married in her mother's hometown and moved to Borås in 1970.

In 1985, the family moved back to Greece to live in Volos with relatives because Paparizou had contracted asthma and her lungs could not cope with the cold Scandinavian climate. After two years, she was well enough for the family to return to live in Gothenburg, Sweden.

As a result of the trip to Greece, Paparizou spoke Greek as a first language and did not make friends with many Swedish children, because she attended a Greek-language school. Paparizou continues to suffer from breathing problems and often carries an inhaler on-stage.

Paparizou became interested in the arts at a young age, attending singing, dancing and acting classes alongside her academic studies. She began lessons in piano, ballet and Greek dance at seven years of age, and performed for the first time in front of a Greek audience when she was eleven, singing Christos Dantis' Moro Mou.

Elena Paparizou won Eurovision in 2005

Two years later, Paparizou had decided she wanted to be a singer and began to study Greek music. By the age of fourteen, Paparizou had formed her first group, Soul Funkomatic with three Hispanic teenagers. They played hip hop music while saving money to record songs; they disbanded two years later.

On 29 October 1998, thirteen of Paparizou's close friends died in the Gothenburg nightclub fire during a hip hop party, when sixty-three people died and more than two hundred were injured. She had begged her mother to let her go to the party, but was not allowed to attend. After losing her friends, Paparizou decided to abandon singing. She started classes at the Art Performing School where she studied theater, acting, television and directing.

In late 2003, Paparizou signed a solo recording contract with Sony Music and released her debut single Anapandites Kliseis, as a double A-side with Treli Kardia. The release reached number one on the Greek Top 50 Singles Chart and was certified Gold by IFPI Greece.

Paparizou moved permanently to Greece in 2004, and after a long selection process led by national broadcaster Hellenic Radio and Television (ERT), she was selected to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 held in Kiev, Ukraine.

ERT originally considered Paparizou as a possible back-up singer for a high-profile artist, but those deals fell through. She said at the time that no-one had wanted her to participate in Eurovision. The song My Number One, composed by Dantis with lyrics by him and Natalia Germanou, was chosen by the jury vote and telephone vote in the Greek national final.

Although her first name is Elena, Paparizou promoted herself as Helena in the lead up to her Eurovision appearance to distinguish herself from popular names in other countries.

On 21 May 2005, Paparizou won the Eurovision Song Contest; the first Greek win in its history. Her performance scored 230 points and the maximum 12 points from ten nations. Her performance was also responsible for the highest viewing ratings in Greek television history.

After Paparizou's Eurovision win and several reissues, the album certified double Platinum by IFPI Greece. To capitalise on this success, it was reissued as Protereotita: Euro Edition in single and double disc format, and released as a compilation in some European countries as My Number One.

More information: Esc Today

I am a fan of the contest.

And the Eurovision chapter is never going to close for me…

Elena Paparizou

1974, GREEK REFERENDUM: ABOLITION OF MONARCHY

Referendum on monarchy in Greece, 1974

Today, The Grandma feels better and she has decided to listen to the latest news in Europe. The old continent is suffering the consequences of different actions that its citizens are doing to protest against poverty, to reclaim basic civil rights and to fight against corruption and violence.

The old continent is burning with open conflicts in Ukraine (against Russia), France (with the Gilets Jaunes), Catalonia (Catalan Political Prisoners, Catalan Government in Exile and Spanish repression) and Greece (economic crisis).

History is full of coincidences and today is the anniversary of the Greek referendum which abolished the monarchy and established the Republic. The Grandma loves Greece and Greek people. They are the cradle of modern Europe and they have an incredible history and culture to share and to explain. 

Europe must protect its nations and their citizens in front of the power of the big states and the big lobbies or its own future will be in danger.
 

After listening to the news, The Grandma has studied a new lesson of her Elementary Language Practice manual (Grammar 36 & Checkpoint 6).

More information: Tag Questions

A referendum on retaining the republic was held in Greece on 8 December 1974. After the collapse of the military junta that ruled the country from 1967, the issue of the form of government remained unsolved. The Junta had already staged a plebiscite held on 29 July 1973, which resulted in the establishment of the Republic. However, after the fall of the military regime, the new government, under Constantine Karamanlis, decided to hold another one, as Junta legal acts were considered illegal. 

Constantine II, the former King, was banned by the new government from returning to Greece to campaign in the referendum, but the Karamanlis government allowed him to make a televised address to the nation. The proposal was approved by 69.2% of voters with a turnout of 75.6%.

Greece, 1974

The referendum campaign included television debates in which Constantine himself took part on the monarchist side, whilst those debating in favour of a republic included Marios Ploritis, Leonidas Kyrkos, Phaedon Vegleris, George Koumandos, Alexandros Panagoulis and Costas Simitis, who later, from 1996 to 2004, served as Prime Minister of Greece.

Political parties abstained from taking part in the referendum campaign, with the television debates confined to ordinary citizens who represented one side or the other. On 23 November 1974 Prime Minister Karamanlis requested that his parliamentary party group adopt a neutral stance on the issue. Two televised speeches a week were given to each side, with an additional two messages broadcast by the former king; a radio broadcast on 26 November and a television speech on 6 December.

More information: The New York Times

On the day of the referendum, the electorate voted categorically in favour of republic. Crete gave more than 90% of its vote for a republic, whilst in around thirty constituencies the result for republic was around 60–70%. The biggest wins for monarchy were in Peloponnisos and Thrace, with around 45%. The constituencies with the highest votes for a monarchy were Laconia at 59.52%, Rhodope at 50.54%, Messenia with 49.24%, Elis at 46.88% and Argos at 46.67%.

With the announcement of the results, Karamanlis said: A cancer has been removed from the body of the nation today. On 15 December 1974, the incumbent President, Phaedon Gizikis, submitted his resignation, and Karamanlis thanked him with a personal visit and in writing for his services to the country. On 18 December 1974, Michail Stasinopoulos, a state list MP for New Democracy, was elected and sworn in as President of Greece.

In April 2007, the newspaper To Vima carried out a survey in which only 11.6% of those polled wished for Greece to become a monarchy again.

More information: Greek Boston

Greece is the most magical place on Earth.

Kylie Bax

SILVIA JONES: GREAT MYTHOLOGICAL GREEK POWER

Silvia Jones in Heraklion's Venetian fortress, Crete

Silvia Jones. Jedi Knight. Crete, Greece.

I'm Silvia Jones. I was born in Heraklion, in Crete. I was born in the cradle of the European civilization, the country of the great philosophers, the country where democracy was born, the country of the oracles and sibyls. Perhaps because of these characters, I started to be very interested in philosophy and I became a Jedi Knight. Jedi is a religion that fights against evil and that proclaims that you must do good acts and be a good person to avoid the dark side.

-Good morning, Silvia Jones, and thanks to attend us.

-Good morning. Welcome to my country, the cradle of Mediterranean civilization.

-Thanks. It's always a pleasure being here. Well, to start this interview I would like to know how you define yourself.

-I'm a Jedi Knight, a person who fights against dark side. I try to help people in their day by day at the same time I try to grow as a good person.

-How is a day in your life?

-Well, I have trained a lot. I must get some mental powers that aren’t easy to have. It requires a lot of effort and work and especially concentration.

-Why?

-Because you must get a great peace inside you and talk to your brain to order it to do things that go farther than conventional ones.

-Then, do you believe in magic?

-This is not magic. This is about concentration and believes in you. I was born Crete, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, between Occident and Orient. In Greek culture, heroes and gods have been something very important that has influenced our personality. I’m not a hero or a magician. I arrive to reach these skills because I practice a lot. It’s like a martial art.

-But a karateka doesn’t move objects…

-No, but they are able to break heavy and hard objects with their hands like bricks or pieces of wood without injure him. It’s the same. The power of concentration is the clue.

-How do you feel being a member of The Jones family?

-I'm not an extroverted person. Silence and concentration are very important for me and I talk more with me than with people. You assimilate this behaviour and then you continue with the same attitude when you are not working. It doesn't mean that you don't disconnect of your work, it means that, sometimes, your beliefs blend your character.

-How is a normal day with The Jones?

-It's difficult to talk about a normal day with The Jones. There's always something new to do, to discover or to enjoy. I like my family. I feel well with them and this is something very important because if you're happy in a place with someone, you can offer the best of you.

-How long have you been studying English?

-English has been always very important in Greece, especially since the arrival of the massive tourism but I didn't study English at school, I studied Russian.

-Russian? It's not possible!

-Yes. Greece has a lot of things in common with the Russian culture. Both of us are orthodox and we haven't Latin alphabets.

-Then, you speak three languages? Is it very difficult to do it?

-No it isn't. In fact, as many languages you speak is easier to learn the next. I have learnt this from The Jones. All of them speak, at least, two languages and this is very important because a language is a powerful tool of communication and, in my case, two languages mean two alphabets, too, and with English, one more.

-What can you explain about your life with The Jones?

-It's a fantastic experience. We're fifteen different people with different characters and points of view but with a common objective: improve our English to improve in our jobs. It's amazing.

-And after?

-After, we will be like the Greek Islands. We will take different ways, we will stay in different places with new people and new experiences but there will be something that no one will be able to take out: if you have been a Jones, this is something that survives in time, you will always be a Jones and all these experiences that we have lived together will live meanwhile we were able to remember them.

-Which is your best memory with the family?

-It's very difficult to choose one but I remember my birthday. It was an especial day because we could celebrate it all together.

-Which is your reference?

-I’m a Jedi Knight and, of course, I have two great Masters: Yoda and Obi-Wan-Kenobi. They are the best and their knowledge is eternal but I’m Greek and I have another reference: Ulysses, the hero who was born in Ithaca.

-What do you think about Ulysses?

-I love his adventures, his intelligence to overcome problems, his courage to fight against the enemies and I like his family because as Penelope as Telemachus are clever, too. I love the mythological idea of searching Ithaca.

-What is your idea about Ithaca?

-Well, I take as a reference the poem of Konstandinos Kavafis about Ithaca. For me, Ithaca is the end of a travel that you must enjoy with all your heart. You’re going to suffer lots of problems, bad moments and disgraces but you must go on until you arrive to the finish line that is Ithaca. When you arrive, you will have enough time to think about the entire path and meanwhile you have had some people like a guide during this journey, then it will be time to be a guide for other people. Ithaca is life in itself and this is the reason because of is an eternal poem. Ithaca is a must.

-Could you recommend me a Greek philosopher?

-It’s impossible to choose only one. Every one of them offered something important to the classic philosophy: Aristotle, Anaximander, Socrates, Plato, Anaxagoras, Epicurus… but I suppose if I must choose, I will talk about both of them: Apollonia of Crete and Hypatia of Alexandria.

-Why?

-Because both of them are women and the role of the women philosophers is not as considered as the men one. Apollonia was born in Crete, an island that has an incredible culture and history. Crete is the cradle of Minoan and Mycenaean cultures but the island also received the influence of Romans, Byzantines, Arabians, Venetians and Ottomans. It’s a multicultural island that has created its idiosyncrasy taking the best of every influenced that it has received.

-How is Crete nowadays?

-Well, one of the most important touristic places in Greece, of course. Tourism is helping my country to overcome the terrible economic crisis that we suffered some years ago. Greece has lots of things and places to show because the Classic Greek civilization was an incredible period and we keep thousands of examples to be visited. I also have incredible beaches and more that 1,000 beautiful islands.

-Do you think you are going to overcome this crisis?

-Every economic crisis is overcome with time, resources and, of course, international help but there is another crisis who is deeper and nobody pays attention. It’s moral and ethics crisis. We arrived to implosion as a country because the powerful classes stole lots and lots of millions and the middle and poor classes didn’t pay any kind of taxes. This is insane. You can’t live from international money and investments; you must create your own richness and control, in a fair way, the destination of taxes. 

-How do you see the future of your country?

-Well, I’m a Jedi Knight, not a seer but I think we’re going to live in difficult conditions during some years. We must adapt our country to European standards if we don’t want to suffer another crisis like that. In my personal opinion, we are very important for the EU not because they were very interested in our population but we are a strategic point in the continent. We’re the border with Turkey and this fact offers us the possibility of being very important and necessary.

-How do you see the present?

-We are the descents of the great philosophers and the Classic Greek. We will survive. We are offering great artists to the world: Mikis Theodorakis, Vangelis, Kharis Alexíou, Maria Farantouri… Culture is our best investment and we will continue to offer immortal works and performances because this is our lifestyle.

-Which is your advice for the future?

-Don’t give up. Follow your dreams and be in peace with yourself. It’s impossible to be fine with the entire world if you aren’t fine with yourself. All starts in you, and all finishes in you. Be authentic, don’t imitate, because originality is something much appreciated. Don’t copy, innovate. Don’t accept real truths, question all of them as Greek philosophers did. It’s the only way to advance to the future with guarantees. Past is beautiful to evocate good moments and learn about old experiences but we live in the present and we must fight the future, for us and for next generations. They deserve the best and we must work hard to reach it.

-Thank you very much, Silvia Jones.

-May the force be with you.

 As you set out for Ithaka
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.

Hope your road is a long one.

 Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you’re destined for.
But don’t hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you’re old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you’ll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

Konstandinos Petru Kavafis

ESTEFANÍA BEAN: MYTHOLOGICAL GREEK LUCK TO WIN

Estefanía Bean with James Bond in Monte Carlo

Estefanía Bean. Croupier. Greece.

I'm Estefanía Bean. I was born in Rhodes, land of the Templar Knights, in Greece. I was born in the cradle of the European civilization, the country of the great philosophers, the country where democracy was born, the country of the oracles and sibyls. Perhaps because of these characters, I started to be very interested in luck, hazards and future. I'm a croupier. I love playing poker but I also love Tarot and Blackjack. C'mon, roll of the dice!

-Good morning, Estefanía Bean, and thanks to attend us.

-Good morning. Welcome to my country, the cradle of Mediterranean civilization.

-Thanks. It's always a pleasure being here. Well, to start this interview I would like to know how you define yourself.

-I'm a croupier, a person who works with cards playing some games where intelligence and Mathematics are the most important.

-How is a day in your life?

-Well, I have worked in the best casinos of the world: Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Albuquerque, Malaysia, Hong Kong... and the most incredible, Monte Carlo.

-Why?

-Because I'm European and it's the most important in my continent and because it's a casino with a lot of history: you can't understand the recent history of Monaco without its casino as a place where you could find the European jet set. Nowadays, Monaco has changed a lot, especially after the new world laws against the fiscal paradises, but Monte Carlo continues being one of the pearls of the Mediterranean, with the permission of the Greek Islands and Nimes, but it's a curious city in one of the smallest and ancient European countries.

-Then, do you believe in heroes?

-Yes, of course. I was born Rhodes, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, between Occident and Orient. In Greek culture, heroes and gods have been something very important that has influenced our personality. Connecting Monte Carlo, again, with the idea of heroes, I remember when I had the opportunity of playing against one of the most important postmodern heroes.

Who?

-Bond, James Bond. He's one of the usual clients in Monte Carlo. He always arrives driving his Aston Martin. He's a gentleman: polite, educated, generous... James Bond is an enchanted man with an old-fashioned British style but with the last technology always available.

-How do you feel being a member of The Beans family?

-I'm not an extroverted person, perhaps because in the casino, working as a croupier, silence and concentration are very important. You assimilate this behaviour and then you continue with the same attitude when you are not working. It doesn't mean that you don't disconnect of your work, it means that, sometimes, your job blends your character.

-How is a normal day with The Beans?

-It's difficult to talk about a normal day with The Beans. There's always something new to do, to discover or to enjoy. I like my family. I feel well with them and this is something very important because if you're happy in a place with someone, you can offer the best of you.

-How long have you been studying English?

-English has been always very important in Greece, especially since the arrival of the massive tourism but I didn't study English at school, I studied Russian.

-Russian? It's not possible!

-Yes. Greece has a lot of things in common with the Russian culture. Both of us are orthodox and we haven't Latin alphabets.

-Then, you speak two languages? Is it very difficult to do it?

-No it isn't. In fact, as many languages you speak is easier to learn the next. I have learnt this from The Beans. All of them speak, at least, two languages and this is very important because a language is a powerful tool of communication and, in my case, two languages mean two alphabets, too, and with English, one more. 

-What can you explain about your life with The Beans?

-It's a fantastic experience. We're fifteen different people with different characters and points of view but with a common objective: improve our English to improve in our jobs. It's amazing.

-And after?

-After, we will be like the Greek Islands. We will take different ways, we will stay in different places with new people and new experiences but there will be something that no one will be able to take out: if you have been a Bean, this is something that survives in time, you will always be a Bean and all these experiences that we have lived together will live meanwhile we were able to remember them. 

-Which is your best memory with the family?

-It's very difficult to choose one but I remember two special moments: the day that I participated in Password, a TV programme. All the family was cheering and helping me. It was unforgettable. I also remember one day that I made some cakes for the family. The Grandma always cried when she discovered that her face appeared on the cake and we were going to cut her in dozens of pieces.

-Which is the best card throwing in poker?

-Full of aces, of course.

-And which is your best card throwing?

-Full of Beans. My family is my best card throwing.

-How did you decided to choose croupier as your job?

-I was a child. I was watching TV and Bruce Springsteen appeared singing Atlantic City. I liked the video, I liked the scenes of the city and I loved the images of cards. For other hand, I like westerns films and poker is a typical element in them. I enjoy a lot.

-Could you recommend me a western, then?

-Lots of them: Silverado with Kevin Costner, Unforgiven with Clint Estwood, Cactus Jack with Kirk Douglas, Wyatt Earp with Kurt Russell, Maverick with Mel Gibson, Wandering star with Lee Marvin and my favourite, Johnny Guitar with Joan Crawford. It’s a masterpiece.

-Johnny Guitar?

-I think it's one of the most beautiful westerns. A film from the 50's with an incredible Joan Crawford. I remember her in a wonderful scene turning around the roulette. It's a classical scene in cinema. It’s a wonderful moment.  It’s an unforgettable memory. I also remember the "Lie to me" scene between the main couple and the beautiful song "Play it again". It's like Casablanca, isn't it?

-Who is your favourite actor or actress?

-I haven't got a special one although I like a lot classic cinema. Then, Joan Crawford, Audrey Hepburn, Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland...

-All women?

-Gregory Peck, Charles Chaplin, Humphrey Bogart, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Buster Keaton, Robert de Niro, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman...

-Great stars.

-It's impossible to choose only one.

-Explain to me a plot for a future film.

-A family travels around the world enjoying adventures and getting over as problems as they find with teamwork.

-And the end?

-There isn't an end. This is only the beginning but I can offer a clue to you. I'm from the land of the Colossus and my family is as strong as the legend says he was.

-Thank you very much, Estefanía Bean.

-Thanks to you.

Life, like poker has an element of risk. 

It shouldn't be avoided. It should be faced. 

Edward Norton

PAULA BOND, OPEN HAPPINESS

Paula is graviting inside the Space Station

Paula Bond. Astronaut. Greece.

I was born in Ithaca, Ulysses hometown in Greece. Living in an island, offers you a micro vision of life because you live isolated and your daily routines are very limited. This is the reason because of I decided to have a macro vision of the world and I became an astronaut. When you're in the space you feel like an ant and realize the magnitude of the universe. I like reading biographies and photography.

-Good morning, Paula Bond, and thanks to attend us.

-Good morning. Welcome to my country, the cradle of Mediterranean civilization.

-Thanks. It's always a pleasure being here. Well, to start this interview I would like to know how you define yourself.

-I'm an astronaut, a person who travels in space and tries to search answers to thousands of human questions.

-The most part of people, when they were children wanted to be an astronaut. How can you explain them to them?

-Yes, it's true. An astronaut or a firefighter. I don't know but perhaps an explanation could be that children are honest and maybe they perceive astronauts and firefighters like modern heroes. Everybody wants to be a superhero when he/she is a child because a superhero represents good things and because of they are still innocent, they have the superheroes like someone to imitate. A child always imitates the things that he/she sees. It's normal. They're under an age of knowledge and learning.

-Then, do you believe in heroes?

-Yes, of course. I was born in Ithaca, Ulysses and Penelope’s island and for the Greek culture heroes and gods have been something very important that has influenced our personality. Everybody can be a hero, because a hero isn't a superhero. A superhero is a modern creation, a person who has incredible powers but a hero is a person who resists adversity and fight against it. Then, in our society, we can find millions of examples of heroes.

-How do you feel being a member of The Bond's family?

-It's a good experience. The family is a group of fantastic people and I'm very proud of being a part of them. It has been a great experience to open happiness.

-How is a normal day with The Bonds?

-It's difficult to talk about a normal day with The Bonds because we're a family full of energy and creativity and then all is possible and they can change all things in a second but I must accept that I've improved my English with them.

-How long have you been studying English?

-English has been always very important in Greece, especially since the arrival of the massive tourism but I didn't study English at school, I studied Russian.

-Russian? It's not possible!

-Yes. Greece has a lot of things in common with the Russian culture. Both of us are orthodox and we haven't latin alphabets.

-Then, you speak two languages? Is it very difficult to do it?

-No it isn't. In fact, as many languages you speak is easier to learn the next. I have learnt this from The Bonds. All of them speak, at least, two languages and this is very important because a language is a powerful tool of communication and, in my case, two languages mean two alphabets, too.

-What can you explain about your life with The Bonds?

-It's a great experience. I spend my life up, in the sky and it's good to stay with your feet on the land and pay attention about the reality from another point of view. I've spent good moments with them.

-And after?

-When we started as a family, we arrived with different ideas, knowledge and perspectives. During our experience as a Bond's member, we have been working together and we've created a good team. This is something that we won't lose although every member of our family is going to take a different path but I'm sure that we're going to open happiness wherever we stay.

-Which is your best memory with the family?

It's very difficult to choose one but I remember two special moments: the day that King Kong took me and the family rescued me and the day I could explain to my family my opinion about the education in a closer future. It was a very interesting discussing.

-You like photography, don’t you?

-Yes, I do.

-What's your own favourite photo?

-When I was in NASA, training and being fit were two important things. We were in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. We swam a lot in the Caribbean Sea and I remember when I discovered a whale shark swimming next to me. I was astonished. Imagine! It lives in oceans and rivers and finds its prey with its sense of smell and kills them with their 3,000 teeth and it was there swimming with me.

-You have also said that you like reading biographies. Which is your favourite?

-Although I have read all the biographies of the most important astronauts like Neil Armstrong or Yuri Gagarin, my favourite biography is about Christopher Columbus, the man who sailed from Spain to the west in 1492 and believed that the Earth was round. After ten weeks, he found an island and he named it San Salvador. I like this biography because I don’t believe anything. It’s an incredible fake.

-How can you be sure about it?

-I don’t say this. Science says this. There are a lot of evidences that indicates it. It’s the same case than William Shakespeare or Miguel de Cervantes. It’s difficult to separate the myth and the reality.

-Who is your favourite character?

-I haven't got a special one although I like Captain Ahab of Herman Melville's Moby Dick. I would like to think that one day, in a closer future; someone will be able to read The Bond's Biography because it will mean that we have contributed to do something positive to our society.

-What title would you choose for this biography?

-Open happiness, because every day has been an open door to learn something new and to live unforgettable experiences.

-Do you like this message?

-Yes I do. It's a motivational message. It's the message that completes another one which I like a lot: When God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.

-What will happen if it's not possible to open this window?

-Demolish the wall. Don't forget that if you don't find a way, you must create it.

-Thank you very much, Paula Bond.

-Thanks to you.

C'mon and lift me up to a better way.
Open up a smile on another face,

so I can feel something new.

 Butch Walker